While the mother-of-two claims the backlash "hurt at the start", she's now hitting back at her critics claiming "they're probably just jealous."
Speaking to Daily Mail, Philippa firmly stated: "This is what we're doing, take it or leave it!"
Philippa and Ry met three years ago, and currently live together in Queensland with Philippa's two children, aged seven and 10, from a former marriage.
"I've got the old elbow in the side saying 'how's the young stallion going?', which I find pretty funny...and I've had "cougar" chucked at me,' Philippa said of how people react to her relationship to Ry.
"Let's be honest, they're probably just jealous!" she laughed.
Bride & Prejudice: The Forbidden Wedding airs on Channel Seven on Monday and Tuesday from 7.30pm.
This first appeared on New Idea.
